House bill sets $24.4B NASA budget and backs Moon-to-Mars push

Q: What does this do?

HR 7273 reauthorizes NASA by setting agency goals and approving a budget to keep it operating. The bill supports the Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon and eventually send people to Mars, and directs NASA to partner with private companies on spacesuits, commercial space stations, and lunar landing systems. It also addresses wildfire technology, drone traffic management, hypersonic aircraft research, hydrogen-powered planes, and the development of a standardized lunar time system.

In markupH.R. 7273Latest action Feb 4, 2026

Sponsor: Brian Babin · Representative · TX

AIDecoded by AI · checked against the record

Read the official text

Official title: NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026

119th Congress

Topics: AI & technology

Introduced: January 30, 2026

Read the official bill on Congress.gov

In plain words

The plain-language version comes first. The official text is always the reference.

HR 7273 would authorize about $24.4B for NASA in 2026, funding Artemis Moon missions, ISS deorbit, and commercial space partnerships.

55-second read · 5 questions answered below

What does this do?

HR 7273 NASA by setting agency goals and approving a budget to keep it operating. The bill supports the Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon and eventually send people to Mars, and directs NASA to partner with private companies on spacesuits, commercial space stations, and lunar landing systems. It also addresses wildfire technology, drone traffic management, hypersonic aircraft research, hydrogen-powered planes, and the development of a standardized lunar time system.

Who does it affect?

NASA employees, astronauts, private aerospace companies, universities, and research institutions are directly affected through mission priorities, contracts, and education funding. The bill also restricts federal money from going toward certain space activities involving China.

Why does it matter?

The International Space Station is planned to be safely brought out of orbit and burned up over the ocean by around 2031, and the bill directs NASA to manage that transition. Without , NASA would lack a defined budget and set of priorities for 2026 and beyond.

What does it cost, and who pays?

The bill would authorize approximately $24.4 billion for NASA for 2026, covering space exploration, science, aeronautics, and education.

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Read the official bill on Congress.gov

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IntroducedJan 30, 2026
House committeeYou are here · Feb 4, 2026
House vote
Senate
The president's desk

Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the president.

Latest action: February 4, 2026 — Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 37 - 0.

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How it's being covered

Coverage of this bill from across the press. Each outlet's political lean is labeled where AllSides has rated it, and marked "Not rated" where it has not.

Newest of these articles: Jul 29, 2026

Coverage of this bill so far comes from one side of the spectrum. Read it with that in mind.

foxnews.com
Leans right
NASA at 68: America must lead on the Moon, Mars and beyond—or China will
Jul 29, 2026
“NASA celebrates 68 years as a new space race with China intensifies. The Artemis and Moon to Mars programs are critical to maintaining U.S. dominance in space e...” — foxnews.com
focustaiwan.tw
Not rated
U.S. House committee advances bill on space cooperation with Taiwan
Feb 5, 2026
“A bill aimed at strengthening space cooperation between the United States and Taiwan cleared the committee stage in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesd...” — focustaiwan.tw

Lean labels describe the news outlet, not this bill or any party. Ratings by AllSides.